Using a gene-mapping tool developed by Silicon Valley’s Affymetrix, Boston scientists reported Thursday they have found that one in 10 people carry a common genetic variation that may make it particularly tough for them to keep their weight down. These unlucky souls have a small piece of DNA on one chromosome that the other 90 percent do not have, according to the study of 923 people. The study, published in Science, comes from researchers including Alan Herbert, MBChB, PhD, of the genetics and genomics department at Boston University’s medical school.
